17
that still sustains all things."
22
Here he ties the fall of "the capital of the world" with "the
end ...(of) the whole world..."
Lactantius also speaks of the inevitable fall of this Roman empire because "there
is nothing built by human strength that cannot be equally destroyed by human strength."
This is perhaps a reference to Daniel 2 and 7, which teach that all human kingdoms shall
be destroyed when the kingdom of God comes.
23
Other statements in the context make it
possible that he was thinking of these passages when he wrote.
Tertullian writes that Christians ought to desire the welfare of Caesar and his
empire, in that it shall stand for as long as the world. The city of Rome will likewise
continue as long.
24
This statement is given in the context of defending Christians against
disloyalty to Caesar and the Roman empire, not in regard to the chiliastic kingdom. It is
nevertheless reminiscent of Tertullians statements elsewhere, where he believed Rome
was the last empire to fall before the new Messianic order would be established.
Anti Christ
Clearly, the greatest amount of discussion by the fathers in relation to chiliasm
concerned the antichrist. The following section cites some of the key statements in
relation to a literal antichrist, most of which refer to his appearance immediately
preceding the inauguration of the kingdom.
22
Ante-Nicene Fathers, The Divine Institutes. Vol.7, 220.
23
Ibid., 212.
24
Ante-Nicene Fathers, To Scapula. Vol.3, 105.